The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-09-16

Stories of oriental magic have al
ways their own fascination. One is
half inclined TO credit wise men Of the
east with possessing a tradition of
occult science long lost among the
restless changes of the west. Such
story now came under my notice. The
khedive sent for me one evening, aud
said
81 have something curious to tell
you. There Is Turk here IN Cairo
who wears q ring which he pretends
is gifted with magic virtues. / have
seen him and the ring--it is a plain
hoop of gold set with red stone,
which is said to have come from Mecca.
The Turk also showed me plate of
silver engraved with verses from the
Koran. He explained that he could
not work the charm himself, but re-
quired child under 10 years Of age.
The child takes the ring, the silver
plate is put Oh his head, and in a little
while the color of the stone changes
to white. Thereupon the child looks
into the stone, and sees in it visions,
and can answer any questions"
The khedive went on TO say, that,
being quite credulous, he asked for
permission to take the girl home and
try it in private, The owner consent
ed. So the khedive took the ring TO
Ismailis palace, where there happened
10 be little girl 10 years old belonging
to the nurse-an ignorant child, unable
to read or write. When the plate of
silver was laid on her hand, almost
Immediately she cried out, "The stone
has turned to white The khedive
then asked questions about persons
whom the child had not seen, and re-
ceived correct descriptions. Another
person present asked:
"How many children have II"
"Two sons and daughter
"That is right. What is the elder
son like?"
'He wears coat with row of
buttons down the front, and striped
trousers, and has sabre7"
"What is the second son like?"
"He has a coat with two rows of
buttons in front, little gold cushions
on his shoulders and an anchor en-
broidered on. his cuffs.
The one was in the Turkish army,
the other in the Turkish navy, and
both were absolutely unknown to the
child. Collusion was impossible; for
even a wizard would find it hard to
penetrate into the ladies' apartment of
the khedives palace. Moreover the
questions were too rapid and too var
led to admit of shutting or Guessing
answers The khedive's conclusion
was: 81 cannot believe it, and yet l
cannot understand IT."
After some talk about English mes.
merists and clairvoyants, the khedive
related that once, before he came to
the throne, he consulted soothsayer
in company with the minister of war.
"What is the news for Egypt" he
asked.
The soothsayer demanded two min
utes delay, and then replied: "War
with Abyssinia."
"Will the Egyptian army conquer7"
''Give me six minutes" replied the
sorcerer.
At the end of that time his face be-
came very troubled, his voice falJered,
and his whole body shook as he an
answered: "The Egyptians will be de-
feated and their army destroyed; only
, a small remnant shall be left The
prince laughed at the prophecy and
forgot it; but two months later the
same minister of war showed him a
dispatch from upper Egypt stating
that the army had been utterly routed
and four battalions out of six annihil
ated. After showing the dispatch thu
, minister remarked: "Do you remem
Der our friend the sorcerer?" and tn,
prince recollected. Now as khedivt
he regards the thing as curious coin
!, cidence.-Co,trt Life in Egypt.